Some changes may be coming for several of the city’s volunteer boards and commissions.
While a restructuring took place at the end of 2021, the number of boards and commissions has since increased. Some were created to comply with state law, while others were created as a result of voter initiatives passing that require oversight bodies.
So in July of last year, as part of a regular five-year review of the city’s boards and commissions, the city council asked the city clerk to consider additional “opportunities for reorganizing and consolidating certain functions overseen by various bodies,” according to a staff report. In the months that followed, staff met with board and commission Chairs, Vice Chairs, city department heads, staff liaisons, and council members “to gain a deeper understanding of each board’s functions, assess their alignment with City goals and priorities, and identify efficiencies.”
On Tuesday evening (Council Agenda, Item 7a), the city council held a study session to consider several recommendations that have emerged from that discovery process. The reasons cited for changes included overlapping mission and function, persistent vacancies, and lack of consistent oversight. The proposed changes are:
- Hold the Transient Occupancy Tax Advisory Committee’s annual meeting as a joint meeting with the Council Audit Subcommittee.
- Hold joint meetings between the Clean Beaches & Ocean Parcel Tax Citizens Oversight Committee and Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment.
- Consolidate the Disabilities Commission, Housing Commission, and Human Services Commission into a new Housing and Human Services Commission.
- “The new Housing and Human Services (HHS) Commission would consist of seven (7) members, to be consistent with the composition size of other City boards and commissions. Priority will be given to existing members of the three current commissions who wish to continue serving.
- Upon this change, new appointees would be subject to the same term limits as all other commissions, and meetings would be held monthly.
- Workplans for the Disabilities Commission, Housing Commission, and the Human Services Commission would be consolidated into a single workplan aligned with the scope of the new HHS Commission. The commission may establish ad hoc or standing committees as needed.
- The composition of the Housing Authority Board would remain as is in fulfillment of all applicable U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations.”
- Modify the membership composition of both the Arts Commission, Landmarks Commission, and Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commissions. Staff recommends:
- “That the membership of the Arts Commission be changed from nine (9) to seven (7) members. A membership of seven (7) would allow members to meet a quorum in the event of absences or vacancies and be more manageable for staff.
- Removing the resident eligibility criteria for five (5) members of the Landmarks Commission, while retaining the residency criteria for two (2) members serving in the local historian and realtor seats.
- That the membership of the Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission be changed from twelve (12) to eight (8) members (7 voting, 1 Ex-Officio); age limits to the youth seats be increased from 22 to 25 years old; and resident eligibility criteria change to live or work in Santa Monica.”
- Convert the Urban Forest Task Force into a formal commission.
- Implement administrative changes to the general policies and procedures governing boards, commissions, and task forces.
In addition, nominees for board and commission positions will now be invited to appear and speak to their qualifications on the night that particular vacancy is being considered.
Council liaisons to the commissions will also be eliminated, citing the need to prevent council members from having an undue influence on board or commission decisions and to maintain their independence.
Disabilities Commission member Alex Elliott encouraged the council to maintain his commission as is. He reminded council members that the idea of consolidating the Disabilities Commission has been floated before, and “it was a bad idea then, it’s a worse idea now.” He argued that the commission is needed now more than ever, given that the Americans with Disabilities Act is just months away from expanding accessibility to websites and mobile applications.
Nancy Gordon, another Disabilities Commissioner, was also on hand to advocate for their remaining a stand-alone commission. “It just really seems you’re trying to erase us…erase our voice,” she said.
Both Bryce Cooper and Eve Lopez challenged the council on why the Airport Commission was not subject to any cuts or consolidation, given that it is the second most expensive commission to operate. They pointed out that none of its members have aviation experience, with Cooper comparing it to forming a reproductive rights commission made up entirely of men. Lopez, an attorney and pilot, argued that three of the five Airport Commissioners live so close to the airport that it constitutes a violation of the Fair Political Practices Commission.
City council questions included why the removal of residency requirements in some cases, with staff explaining the Landmarks Commission, for example, often draws very few applicants. Staff feel that expanding the geographic reach of those who may offer value as commissioners would help prevent vacancies. Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya expressed an interest in applicants at least having some tie to the city.
Councilmember Dan Hall asked why the Urban Forest Task Force couldn’t be combined with the Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment. City Arborist Matthew Wells explained that the Task Force is more grassroots, dealing with day-to-day technical matters regarding tree selection or removal. The Commission, he explained, is more policy-oriented decision-making by commissioners who often have environmental expertise.
Hall also asked about combining the Planning Commission and the Architectural Review Board (ARB), with fellow Councilmember Ellis Raskin, a former Planning Commissioner, pointing out that “the Planning Commission serves as the appellant body for the ARB,” which, if removed, would float all of those decisions up to the city council.
Mayor Caroline Torosis wanted to know how the consolidation of the Disabilities, Housing, and Human Services Divisions into one Housing and Human Services Division would not dilute the membership from those with expertise or lived experience. Staff explained the council could still make a particular expertise or lived experience a part of the criteria for commission applicants.
Torosis also asked how the city will track whether any of these recommendations are working, with staff seeming to punt on an answer, saying only they would come back with more information.
Later, she reminded the public that this was a study session and that no board or commission was being eliminated that night.
Zernitskaya returned to say she has reviewed the Disabilities Commission’s substantive agenda over the coming year and expressed her preference to keep it as a stand-alone commission. “People with disabilities are so frequently forgotten about and erased from public spaces, and I don’t want us to fall into that pattern,” she said.
Hall, while stating an appreciation for the remarks made by members of the Disabilities Commission, said that, in consultation with others, he feels that leaving the commission as a stand-alone somewhat “sidelined” their work and advocacy, and that he’s seen in his own DEI work that creating intersectionality with related commissions could actually bring more urgency to their advocacy “exactly where it needs to be.” He added, “Alignment matters. When our commissions mirror how our departments are structured, we get clearer work plans, stronger staff support, and, in my opinion, better follow-through from policy idea to real-world impact.”
Both Hall and Raskin favor maintaining a residency requirement for the Landmarks Commission. But Raskin sided with Zernitskaya on Disabilities, saying he favors maintaining a stand-alone commission.
Councilmember Barry Snell also sided with keeping Disabilities a stand-alone commission, but also voiced support for taking a look at the Airport Commission, citing the next three years as critical as the deadline approaches for the city’s intent to close the airport.
Hall moved several items in the staff recommendation, but included keeping the Disabilities Commission intact and maintaining the residency requirement for Landmarks Commissioners. Torosis seconded his motion.
Raskin proposed a substitute motion with only one change, eliminating a prohibition on family members of elected officials from being appointed to boards and commissions. Snell seconded the substitute motion.
The substitute motion passed, 4-2, with Councilmember Jesse Zwick joining Raskin, Snell, and Zernitskaya voting yes. Hall and Torosis voted no. Councilmember Lana Negrete was absent.
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